Vasopressin
Also known as: Vasostrict, ADH, AVP
Vasopressin activates V1a receptors on vascular smooth muscle to cause vasoconstriction and V2 receptors in the renal collecting duct to drive aquaporin-2-mediated water reabsorption, raising blood pressure and concentrating urine.
- Drug class
- Endogenous nonapeptide hormone; vasopressor / antidiuretic hormone
- Primary targets
- V1a receptor, V2 receptor, V1b (V3) receptor
- Dose reference
- Label reference ranges (not recommendations): post-cardiotomy shock 0.03-0.1 units/min IV; septic shock 0.01-0.07 units/min IV continuous infusion
- Half-life
- Short; apparent half-life roughly 10 minutes or less per the Vasostrict label
- Developer / origin
- Vasostrict product marketed by Par Pharmaceutical; vasopressin first synthesized by Vincent du Vigneaud (1950s)
- Reference year
- 2014
- Evidence score
- 4/5 - Approved drug with strong pharmacologic evidence, modest mortality data
Approved uses
- Vasodilatory shock in adults (e.g., post-cardiotomy or septic shock) who remain hypotensive despite fluids and catecholamines
Approved drug with strong pharmacologic evidence, modest mortality data
Vasopressin (Vasostrict) is FDA-approved as an intravenous vasopressor for vasodilatory shock, backed by a clear FDA label and the randomized VASST trial. The label and pharmacology robustly support its blood-pressure and antidiuretic effects, but VASST did not show a significant overall survival benefit, so hard-outcome evidence is more limited.
Investigational compound with human randomized or phase 2/3 evidence.
Evidence basis
- FDA Vasostrict prescribing information defining the vasodilatory shock indication, IV route and dosing ranges
- VASST randomized controlled trial (n=778, NEJM 2008) of vasopressin vs norepinephrine in septic shock
- Peer-reviewed pharmacology establishing V1a vasoconstriction and V2 antidiuretic mechanisms
- Decades of established clinical use including historical central diabetes insipidus treatment
Key references
- DailyMed / FDAVasostrict (vasopressin injection) prescribing information
- New England Journal of MedicineVasopressin versus Norepinephrine Infusion in Patients with Septic Shock (VASST)
- Physiological ReviewsVasopressin V1a and V1b Receptors: From Molecules to Physiological Systems
How to read this entry
Dose references and half-life values are pulled from trial protocols, labels, reviews, or published summaries where available. They are context for research and comparison, not a personal dosing recommendation.
Status matters: approved drugs have regulated indications; investigational compounds are still being studied; research-only peptides do not have established human dosing, safety, or efficacy for consumer use.
Vasopressin guides
Read the matching guide or adjacent research pages for more context.
Peptide calculators
Use calculators for concentration, unit conversion and repeated-dose accumulation math.
Compare with related peptides
Stay inside the same research category and compare mechanism, status and evidence quality.
Larazotide
Larazotide acetate, AT-1001
An oral, gut-restricted peptide that antagonizes zonulin signaling to limit gluten-driven intestinal tight-junction permeability in celiac disease.
Lanreotide
Somatuline Depot, Somatuline Autogel
Lanreotide binds with high affinity to somatostatin receptors 2 and 5, mimicking native somatostatin to suppress growth hormone, IGF-1 and various neuroendocrine and gut hormones.
Teriparatide
Forteo, Bonsity, PTH 1-34
Once-daily injection produces intermittent activation of the PTH1 receptor on osteoblasts, preferentially stimulating bone formation over resorption to increase bone mass.
Abaloparatide
Tymlos
Abaloparatide is a PTHrP(1-34) analog that agonizes the PTH1 receptor with preference for its transient RG conformation, activating cAMP signaling to stimulate osteoblast-driven new bone formation.